Ned Kelly Washing Feet 1963 - 1965

Curator: I'm struck by the starkness of Sidney Nolan's "Ned Kelly Washing Feet." The red ink on white creates an almost violent contrast. Editor: Indeed, it feels raw, visceral. The use of red, reminiscent of blood, connects deeply with Kelly's outlaw status and the violence surrounding him. It's about resistance, right? Curator: Absolutely. Nolan's Kelly is a complex figure, a symbol of Australian identity, class struggle, and the fraught relationship between the individual and the state. Consider how Nolan, like Kelly, challenges established power structures through his art. Editor: And look at the material itself; the printmaking process, with its inherent reproducibility, democratizes the image of Kelly, turning him into a folk hero accessible to a wider audience. Curator: It elevates Kelly beyond a simple criminal narrative, doesn't it? Nolan encourages us to confront the systemic injustices that fuelled Kelly's rebellion. Editor: The materiality emphasizes the everyday. This act of washing feet, a moment of vulnerability, disrupts the myth of the invincible bushranger, making us see the human being beneath the legend. Curator: It’s a powerful work that speaks to the complexities of Australian history and identity. Editor: A potent example of how art can materialize and amplify cultural resistance.